Job 9
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job answered and said,
2 Truly I have known that [it is] so, And what — is man righteous with God?
I know it is so truthfully: but how should man be just with God?
3 If he delight to strive with Him — He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power — Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and has prospered?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
Which removes the mountains, and they know not: which overturns them in his anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Which shakes the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
Which commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
Which alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea.
9 Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
Which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
Which does great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
Lo, he goes by me, and I see him not: he passes on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, 'What dost Thou?'
Behold, he takes away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What do you?
13 God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14 How much less do I — I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.
16 Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.
17 Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
For he breaks me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.
19 If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment — who doth convene me?
If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! — it declareth me perverse.
If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Perfect I am! — I know not my soul, I despise my life.
Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, 'The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the perfect and the wicked.
23 If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.
24 Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not — where, who [is] he?
The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covers the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hastes to the prey.
27 Though I say, 'I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 I — I am become wicked; why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
Yet shall you plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall detest me.
32 But if a man like myself — I answer him, We come together into judgment.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
Neither is there any arbitrator between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
